Honey Peach Crostata

 Honey-Peach Crostata

At long last, I have finally written down my recipe for this rustic peach pie. I have been making this for decades and it is absolutely my favorite summertime dessert when peaches are at their peak.

The crust is a pâté sucree that I add two egg yolks to.  This causes the pastry to puff up a little and have a softer texture, like a very buttery sugar cookie.  

To prevent the crostata from leaking, the fruit never comes in contact with sugar, which prevents it from weeping and becoming soggy.  Instead, sugar and flour are mixed together on the bottom crust, and the fruit is layered on top.  As it bakes, the fruit releases its juice which are absorbed by the flour/sugar foundation, making a beautiful jammy base atop a crisp sugar cookie-like crust.

This is my absolute favorite summer dessert made with the ripest peaches I can find.

Honey- Peach Crostata 

Crust:

2 cups all purpose flour

 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 egg yolks

Water

Filling:

4 peaches, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

4 Tbsp unsalted salted butter

1/4 cup honey

Finishing:

1 Egg yolk mixed with 1Tbsp heavy cream

Sparkling sugar

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk briefly to combine. Add butter and work butter into flour mixture with your fingertips until a coarse meal-like consistency is achieved.

Mix 2 egg yolks with 2 Tbsp water, and add to flour mixture. With your finger tips begin to work the liquid into the flour, add ingredients more water as needed to form a somewhat cohesive non-sticky dough.  Flatten to a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

To peel the peaches, bring a medium sized pot of water to a bowl. Cut each peach in half and remove the pit.  Plunge the peach halves into the boiling water a few at a time. Poach for 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.  Allow to cool to rem temp. Slip the skin off the peache with your fingers and discard.

Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to soften room temperature while oven pre-heats.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 14-inch circle.  Slide dough circle onto parchment paper, and then slide parchment paper onto a baking sheet.

Combine flour and sugar, and then pour onto dough, creating a circle with about a 3-4 inch perimeter of plain dough. Arrange peach slices atop flour. Drizzle peaches with honey, and top with pats of butter.

Using the parchment as an aid, gently fold the perimeter over the top, making small pleats as you go around the entire circle.  Be careful not to tear the dough.

Brush the top and side crusts with the egg and cream wash, then sprinkle generously with sparkling sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let crostata rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with vanilla ice cream.